No Need to Hide Part II
by Cody Saoyrn
Summary: TRILOGY SERIES. After the last bell has rung, Kaiba asks to speak to Honda. Taken aback, Honda agrees... Sequel dash companion to As Always and Don't Touch Me.
1. Chapter 1

(Notes: Hokay, this is the second half of the No Need to Hide section of the As Always/Don't Touch Me/No Need to Hide one-shot trilogy. I know it sounds complicated, but that's just how it is. :3 I had originally planned to submit this as a second chapter to the first part, but since it's crazy-long compared to the previous sections, I decided to make it a new thing. I did do my best to write this so it could be a stand-alone, of course, but it really would enrich the experience XD if you read the aforementioned one-shots.  
A few more things-I was working on making the dialogue sound realistic, like what you'd hear at an ordinary (English-speaking) high school. And if it's hard to follow sometimes because of the weird style, I apologize. Plus, I botched the ending because otherwise, this thing was just going to go on foreeeverrr.)

No Need to Hide II

by Cody Saoyrn

As the bell clanged, signaling the end of the day, Honda slammed his textbook shut with a sigh.

Yuugi and Otogi had bolted out of the classroom when the shorter student suggested that they all meet up at Burger World, in order to work on planning the party to celebrate Anzu's landing a role in the local theater's latest ballet. Jonouchi had hung behind for a few minutes, until it became clear that Honda wasn't going to look at him.

Honda packed his bag slowly, admitting to himself that he had been avoiding Jonouchi all day. Sure, they were best friends. Sure, they'd known each other forever. But he hadn't known Jonouchi was gay until that morning.

It wasn't like he was a homophobe. It was just…unnerving.

Tucking the bookbag under his arm and rubbing the back of his neck, Honda stood behind his desk, waiting for the last remaining students to file past him.

Once the pathway was clear, he was almost at the door when he heard a voice call his name.

Surprised, Honda looked around to see who it had been.

Kaiba rose from his seat in the back of the classroom, striding forwards purposefully.

Honda's first impulse was to make a break for it, but the way Kaiba was glaring at him glued him to the floor.

"W-what do you want, Kaiba?"

"I need to talk to you."

Kaiba gripped Honda's shoulder firmly, and walked him back to his seat.

"Sit."

Growing increasingly more nervous, Honda obeyed the terse command.

"Um…. Why me?"

"Who else could I talk to?"

"Er…. Yuu—"

Kaiba snorted.

Honda swallowed, casting about for somebody else.

"The school therapist?"

"Look," Kaiba muttered, rolling his eyes. "I need to discuss this with** someone**. I can't talk to an adult because they'll treat me as an adult, and you're the only kid my age I know who isn't scared shitless of me."

Raising an eyebrow, Honda leaned back in his chair and gestured for the other teenager to pull up a chair.

"Kaiba, that still doesn't explain why you want to talk to me."

"Hmph. Well. I, um. Er."

Kaiba cleared his throat.

"This is an extremely uncomfortable subject for me."

Upon hearing this, Honda froze. This couldn't be happening. Was he some kind of magnet for this sort of thing?

"I've come to believe that I have an…an attra—"

Cut off, Kaiba looked up in surprise as Honda slammed his hands on his desk and got to his feet.

"Stop right there, Kaiba. Whatever it is you want to say, I'd really rather not—"

Honda blinked. Was it his imagination, or had Kaiba's cool demeanor just cracked? The ruthless businessman he knew couldn't be looking devastated, not at a simple interruption.

Kaiba took a few deep breaths and stood, staring down at him.

"Sit. Back. Down."

Honda sat.

"Do you realize how much courage I've had to gather in order to be willing to tell you this? Are you even thinking? Or do you plan to just nod and grin?"

"Ah…"

"No. I want you to listen to what I have to say. …Please."

"I, er… I'm sorry. Go ahead, Kaiba."

Kaiba plowed both his hands through his hair, muttered something, and plopped back into his chair. Drumming his fingers on the desk, he bit his lip.

"I'vecometorealizeI'."

"Uh, what was that?"

Honda leaned forwards, not quite believing what he had just heard.

Heaving a sigh, Kaiba repeated his confession more slowly.

"Um. Whoa. I—you're sure?"

At Kaiba's resigned nod, Honda shifted uncomfortably in his seat and glanced around the now darkening classroom.

It was kinda nice to be talking to Kaiba like a normal teenager, and to know that Kaiba was in fact capable of er, sexual feelings. But still—Honda was floored. Not only was the other boy gay like Jonouchi, but he was in love with his own **brother**?

"K-Kaiba, can I be frank?"

"You mean 'may you'."

The retort was automatic, a part of the defensive barrier Kaiba had retreated behind.

"Knowing that you fantasize about Mokuba—that, uh, creeps me out. A lot. But, um….I can't quite…blame you."

Honda fidgeted, expecting the taller boy to beat the crap out of him.

"What the—"

Again, Kaiba's composure splintered.

Startled by Kaiba's deer-in-headlights expression, Honda lost his train of thought.

"Huh?"

"What do you mean, you can't quite blame me? This is my brother we're talking about—he's underage, a guy, and my blood brother! It's not—"

Honda reached over his desk and shook Kaiba's shoulders with both hands, silencing him.

"Stop yelling, man. There are still some teachers in the school, you know."

Kaiba sagged a little, looking pained.

"I, uh, I meant that…. It's not really like…you've had a chance to, you know, get close to anyone other than Mokuba," Honda fumbled for the right words. "Like… You've closed yourself off…you haven't tried to make friends. Y-you immediately saw Yuugi as a rival, not somebody who shared some of the same interests or something. You were so caught up in your, your corporation and taking care of Mokuba, that you didn't…I guess you didn't realize when you kinda…crossed the line in your love for Mokuba…or something…."

He trailed off, watching Kaiba.

"I…. Hn." Kaiba nodded, then frowned. "But I haven't told you the whole story."

Honda barely stopped himself from slapping a hand to his forehead.

Arching an eyebrow, Kaiba waited until he was sure that Honda was listening.

"The other day…er. …Okay. Last night, I was, um…" Kaiba gestured, and Honda nodded embarrassedly. "When I was in the middle of doing that, Mokuba came in."

"Oh, shit. You're kidding me."

"No."

"Jesus."

"He also heard me saying his name. So…"

"So he put it together."

"Yes."

"Damn, man…"

Honda shook his head, bewildered.

"Has he er, tried to talk to you about this?"

"I didn't let him."

Sighing at Honda's disapproving expression, Kaiba explained.

"I avoided him after that. I sent him back to bed. This morning, I made his lunch, asked one of the maids to wake him up, and then I left for school."

"I wish I had a maid…"

"…Yes?"

"Never mind. Well, I really think you should try sitting down with him and just…discuss this. Something."

"But…"

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"He could never want to speak to me again, or he could force me to see a therapist and then the newspapers would get wind of it…. Keep in mind that it's not just my brother I have to worry about."

Honda swallowed.

"Would it really be that bad for the company?"

Scoffing, Kaiba smirked ruefully.

"You have no idea. My stepfather killed himself not because I outmaneuvered him, but because the tabloids had begun to whisper that he was molesting Mokuba and I."

"Seriously?"

"Have you ever heard me tell a joke?"

Honda snorted, conceding the point. Reflexively, he glanced at his watch—and yelped.

"Cripes, it's five thirty! I was supposed to be home two hours ago!"

"Two hours?"

"Yes! Oh, jeez…. What am I supposed to tell my parents?"

"Let me call up the limo and I'll drive you home."

Kaiba smiled at Honda's sputtering.

"It's the least I can do. Besides, if I drive you home and your parents see that you were with somebody like me, they won't ask any questions."

"Hah. You don't know what they're like."

"Trust me, Honda."

At this, Honda grinned broadly. Blinking, Kaiba frowned yet again.

"What did I say?"

"Nothing. So, I guess that this means we're friends?"

Kaiba paused.

"I…I suppose so. Ah, but what should I say to Mokuba when I get home?"

"Hm. Just… Apologize for being late. And, um, ask him if there's anything he wants to talk about. If he says no, you should maybe ask again to be safe, and if he still says no, then he's probably forgiven you or whatever. Don't stress out about it."

"And if he avoids me?"

Honda 'hmm'ed a bit, then snapped his fingers.

"Ah. Don't let him."

Kaiba twitched. Laughing at the taller boy's expression, Honda flapped his hands.

"It's not that simple, of course. Make him sit down with you, and tell him everything…. Like you did with me, I guess."

Sighing, Kaiba ran a hand through his hair.

"It's…. Okay. It's worth a shot."

Honda smiled again, shouldering his bookbag and rising to his feet.

"And, uh, if you ever want to, just give me a call."

Kaiba gave a slow, cautious nod, and stood up, extending a hand.

"Well. Thank you very much, Honda."

With a chuckle, Honda grasped Kaiba's hand in a firm handshake.

"No problem, man."

They gazed at each other for a moment, until Honda peeked at his watch again and whimpered.

Kaiba snorted at the agonized expression on the brunette's face, and gestured at the doorway.

"Shall we go?"

The two boys left the classroom together, enthusiastically discussing the latest news report as though they had been friends for a long time.


	2. Epilogue

(Notes: This is more of a 'what if ha ha' thing than a real epilogue, but I thought I'd include it anyway. So you wouldn't be missing anything if you decided to skip this. -nod-)

-

_(The Next Morning)_

_- _

Anzu approached Honda and Jonouchi with a wave, beaming.

"So, have you guys made up?"

Honda blinked, remembering that he had been avoiding his pal yesterday.

"Oh… Yeah. Yeah, I guess we have."

He and Jonouchi smiled at each other faintly, until they noticed the shift in Anzu's mood.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Jonouchi frowned, scratching his cheek.

"It's… Something that I need to talk to Honda about."

"Oh god."

A swift glare cut off further protests from Honda, who was dragged out of the classroom he had just entered.

Jonouchi shrugged and waved in response to Honda's pained stare, then bounded over to Yuugi's desk, grin and hands at the ready to muss up the kid's precious hair.

-

"What's the dark secret?"

Honda crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Anzu.

"It has to do with Yuugi."

Recognizing that she was serious, Honda raised his eyebrows and led her by the elbow further down the hall.

Anzu inhaled deeply, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and began her sordid tale.

"Last afternoon, after we all went to Burger World and stuff, Yuugi and I were walking home, okay? Then all of a sudden, he turned to me and said something like, 'Anzu, I have something I need to tell you.' And he said it in this serious voice and everything, so I knew something was wrong right then."

She stopped, and Honda nodded. Satisfied, Anzu went on.

"He pulls me over to this bus stop, though why he thought that was private I'll never know, and then he was like, "Lately, I've been having these dreams about K—'"

"Oh my GOD, I kneeeew iiiit."

Honda clutched at his hair in melodramatic agony.

"Let me guess, they were about Kaiba. And now you'll tell me that you're in love with, I dunno, Shizuka or someone, I bet."

Anzu stared at Honda, who rolled his eyes and decided to clarify.

"Jesus christ, I must be a frickin' **magnet** for this stuff. But you have to promise not to tell anybody that I told you, okay?" He paused for confirmation, and continued. "Yesterday morning, Jonouchi, er, told me that he was in love with Yuugi or something like that and oh god I swore not to tell but dammit. And then that afternoon Kaiba comes and tells me that—"

"Wait, Kaiba actually talked to you?"

"Yeah. Heh. But. Um. He needed to talk about… Trouble he'd been having dealing with some of his feelings for… Agh, for Mokuba. Please, please, don't say anything about it to him, please."

Honda subjected Anzu to his best puppy-dog eyes, who managed to keep a straight face for all of five seconds.

Giggling, Anzu shook her head.

"So, we've got Jonouchi, like, in love with Yuugi. And Kaiba in love with…Mokuba? …Wow. And now Yuugi's in love with Kaiba. Man. Is this weird, or what?"

Honda sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, it sure is fucked up."

"Honda!"

"Bleh, sorry. D'you think there's something in the water?"

"Pfft. Probably."

--

**(END.)**


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